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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27801745">Home for the Holidays</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/storywriter55/pseuds/storywriter55'>storywriter55</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>White Collar (TV 2009)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bank Robbery, Gen, Holidays, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:55:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27801745</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/storywriter55/pseuds/storywriter55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A few days before the holidays, Neal and Peter take a trip to the mall and end up getting more than they bargained for: Peter gets some badly needed help with his Christmas shopping and Neal faces unexpected trouble and ends up rediscovering the miracle of the holiday season.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neal Caffrey &amp; Peter Burke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Home for the Holidays</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Author’s note: This story was written as a donation to the TeamDeKay.org Real Men Wear Pink Campaign. It was requested by a reader who asked for a hurt/comfort fanfic featuring Peter and Neal and set during the holidays. It is not part of my regular series but rather takes place during Season 4, sometime after the events of ‘Vested Interest.’</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘I really don’t get it’ Peter said as he navigated the car through late afternoon traffic. ‘Why are you in such a lousy mood?’</p>
<p>‘And <em>I</em> don’t get why you insisted on tagging along with me to the mall when I know how much you hate shopping’ Neal replied tersely. ‘So I guess that makes us even.’</p>
<p>Peter sighed and glanced to his right. ‘Whatever…’ he muttered.</p>
<p>‘And for your information, I am <em>not</em> in a lousy mood’ Neal added with a grunt. </p>
<p>The windshield wipers quietly swooshed back and forth, gentle snow disappearing with each passing sweep of the blades. Although he and Neal had spent many a night in relative silence while on stakeouts, generally speaking, Peter always felt uneasy around Neal whenever he got too quiet. </p>
<p>For the most part, Neal Caffrey was talkative, loquacious, a chatterbox, Mr. Social. He could engage pretty well anyone on any topic imaginable - and do it from a place of knowledge and proficiency. In Peter’s experience, whenever Neal got this quiet, it meant one of two things: either something was bothering him or he was secretly plotting some cockamamie scheme that would ultimately blow back on Peter. </p>
<p>Like a newly formed scab, Peter just couldn't seem to leave it alone.‘So, what’s on your mind?’ he asked.</p>
<p>Neal gave him a death stare. ‘<em>Nothing’s</em> on my mind.’</p>
<p>‘How does your chest feel?’</p>
<p>‘Fine’ Neal replied curtly.</p>
<p>‘That must have hurt like hell. I remember once during a takedown, I took one right in the ribs. Hurt like a son of a bitch for weeks.’</p>
<p>Neal made a noise that sounded like a grunt and returned to looking out the window at the falling snow.</p>
<p>‘When I saw you take that bullet, I thought you were a goner’ Peter said, glancing at his partner. ‘Don’t ever do that to me again.’Neal didn't reply.</p>
<p>‘Well, at least we’ve got Anderson off the streets. He won’t be trying to steal any more government secrets for the foreseeable future.’</p>
<p>Again, silence. Peter was growing more irritated by the minute.</p>
<p>‘Is it your dad? Is that why you’re —’</p>
<p>‘Peter, please. Can we just… get this over with?’</p>
<p>Peter was taken aback by Neal’s curt response. After the unfortunate events that had followed their undercover boxing match, Neal had been pretty pissed off at him for scaring Sam away but Peter thought they’d made peace since them. Giving their presentation at the FBI Annual Best Practices Conference had brought them closer together and now that they’d found out Sam’s true identify, Peter felt like they were finally back on the same page.</p>
<p>Truth be told, ever since they’d found out Sam was really James Bennett, Peter had been worried about Neal. It was an awful lot for his young CI to process in and it seemed to have conjured up a mess of confused emotions and memories from his past. Even at the best of times, Neal wasn't big on sharing his feelings, preferring to put up his usual facade as the suave, cocky, silver tongued ex-con. As much as he wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to his romantic liaisons, he tended to withdraw when something truly had him rattled.</p>
<p>Besides his genuine concern for Neal’s well being, Peter had another, less altruistic reason for tagging along: he wanted to see the great Neal Caffrey’s gift-buying process in action. For as long as he could remember, Peter had struggled with gift buying - especially when it came to finding the perfect gift for his wife. With Christmas right around the corner, he was still struggling with what to get her. Maybe Neal’s uncanny knack for finding the right gift for every occasion would somehow rub off on him.</p>
<p>‘There!’ Neal shouted. He pointed as they drove past an empty parking spot. ‘Damn it Peter, would you please concentrate. That’s the third spot you’ve driven right by.’</p>
<p>Peter slammed on the brakes and attempted to back up, only to watch in exasperation as another car pulled into the spot. The men continued their search, a task which appeared to be almost as demanding as their everyday pursuit of dangerous criminals. After a few loops around the parking lot, they hit pay dirt, albeit a spot at the farthest corner of the lot.</p>
<p>Peter pulled in and turned to face Neal. ‘So’ he said, rubbing his hands together. ‘Let’s see your list.’</p>
<p>‘List?’ Neal repeated with a frown. ‘What list?’</p>
<p>‘Your shopping list… you know for your Christmas gifts.’</p>
<p>‘I don’t have a list’ Neal said with disdain.</p>
<p>‘Well then, how do you know what to get people?’</p>
<p>‘I don’t <em>need</em> a list Peter. I know the people I’m buying for. I know their tastes, I know their interests and I go from there.’</p>
<p>‘You’re kidding’ Peter replied as if Neal had confided the secret of the Caramilk bar.</p>
<p>‘Anyway, I only have one gift left to buy: Elizabeth’s.’</p>
<p>‘You mean you’re done?’</p>
<p>‘Yeah, of course I’m done’ Neal said with a head shake. ‘Christmas is in two days, aren’t you?’</p>
<p>‘Not… exactly.’</p>
<p>‘Peter, Elizabeth buys all your gifts for you. All <em>you</em> have to do is buy one gift for your wife and you’re done. You know… the woman you live with? The one who shares your bed and cooks your meals? How hard can it possibly be? Right off the top of my head, I can think of a dozen things Elizabeth would like. She’s an open book, she’s easy to buy for.’</p>
<p>Peter looked at him with skepticism. Truth was, he had no reason to doubt what Neal had just said. If only he could come up with one single idea, he’d be all set.</p>
<p>‘So, what about me? Did you get <em>me</em> something’ he asked, sounding like a little kid</p>
<p>‘Of course I did. I bought your gift last month and it’s already wrapped and ready to go at June’s.’</p>
<p>‘Sara?’</p>
<p>‘Yeah, got her a nice pair of leather gloves.’</p>
<p>‘June?’</p>
<p>‘Yup, June’s covered.’</p>
<p>Peter leaned in, silently asking for details.</p>
<p>‘I got her a sculpture from this artist she likes in the village.’</p>
<p>Peter sighed.</p>
<p>‘What about Mozzie?’</p>
<p>‘Peter, I told you, I’m done. All my gifts are bought and wrapped. The only one I need to get is Elizabeth’s.’</p>
<p>Peter’s eyes lit up.</p>
<p>‘Oh no! Is that what this is all about?’ Neal asked. ‘You wanted to come along so you could spy on me and see what I’m getting your wife? Or worse yet, steal my idea.’</p>
<p>Peter frowned as if offended. ‘No! Of course not… I… I already know exactly what I’m getting Elizabeth.’</p>
<p>‘Oh yeah? What’s that?’ Neal asked. He didn't believe a word of it.</p>
<p>‘It’s something… something she’s wanted for a while now’ Peter said, defensively.</p>
<p>‘What? A husband who’s attuned to her wants and needs?’</p>
<p>‘No, I’m getting her a new vacuum cleaner’ Peter said, looking rather pleased with himself. ‘The old one’s been acting up.’</p>
<p>Neal stared back at his partner in disbelief. ‘You’re kidding! Peter, you are NOT getting your wife a vacuum cleaner for Christmas.’</p>
<p>‘What? You said to get to her something she needs.’</p>
<p>‘Not <em>needs </em>Peter. Something she <em>wants</em>… or doesn't know she wants until she sees it.’</p>
<p>‘Well, how the hell am I supposed to figure that out? I’m not a mind reader.’</p>
<p>Neal had had just about enough of this. ‘Come on’ he said, hand on the car door handle. ‘Let’s do this.’</p>
<p>Peter reached out to hold him back. ’Wait, wait, wait, wait.’</p>
<p>Neal looked over, rolling his eyes.</p>
<p>‘Can you… maybe just… point me in the right direction?’ Peter pleaded. ‘Just… a little nudge and I’ll take it from there.’</p>
<p>Neal let go of the door handle and turned to face his handler. ‘Peter, it’s not about the things she needs, it’s about you being attuned to the essence of who she is, what is it that inspires her, what makes her smile. If you take the time to listen, people are always leaving hints about what they’re all about. It isn't rocket science.’</p>
<p>‘Like…give me a for instance’ Peter said, growing more desperate by the minute.</p>
<p>‘Fine’ Neal grumbled. ‘What were we talking about when you had me over for dinner last week?’</p>
<p>Peter let his eyes roll to the back of his head, searching his memory.</p>
<p>‘The case with Anderson?’</p>
<p>Neal threw his arms up in the air. ‘Seriously Peter?’</p>
<p>‘Hum, well, we talked about doing the panel…’</p>
<p>‘Focus! What was on <em>Elizabeth’s</em> mind’ Neal said, starting to lose patience.</p>
<p>Peter stared blankly ahead. ‘I got nothing’ he admitted.</p>
<p>Neal sighed loudly. ‘El had just gotten back from that convention in Houston, remember’ he prodded.</p>
<p>‘Oh right, right.’</p>
<p>‘And…’ Neal said, making a forward motion with his hand. </p>
<p>‘And?’</p>
<p>‘Oh my God! You are hopeless! She spent ten minutes bemoaning the fact that she’d lost those pearl earrings you gave her for your anniversary a few years back. She told us how she’d checked with the hotel, the airline…’</p>
<p>‘Ooooh’ Peter cried out as if a little light had just come on. ‘So, you think I should use Bureau resources to see if I can locate her earrings?’</p>
<p>Neal let out a loud sigh of exasperation. ‘I give up!’ he said with a head shake as he exited the car.</p>
<p>WCWCWC</p>
<p>The mall in question housed about two dozen stores, nothing like the mega outlets that were located in most neighbourhoods. It was a charming little ‘outdoor mall’ with the storefronts located along a quaint sidewalk, old style. No Neiman Marcus or JC Penney in sight.</p>
<p>Neal had chosen it because he wanted to visit a little shop called ‘Pearl’s Accessories’, a small boutique June had recommended. When Peter and Elizabeth had attended a dinner party at June’s the previous summer, El had gone on and on about the beautiful silk scarf June was wearing. Always attentive to the people around him, Neal had made a mental note of her comment and was determined to find something similar as a gift for her. After all, Elizabeth deserved the best.</p>
<p>On the way to the boutique, Peter’s attention was drawn to the Christmas tree lot located at the end of the strip mall. He gravitated towards it with Neal reluctantly following a few steps behind.</p>
<p>‘I love tree lots!’ Peter exclaimed as he rubbed his hands together with glee and began to poke around the many offerings.</p>
<p>Soft snow was falling and he stopped in front of a bench which faced the lot, making the decision to take a seat and enjoy the view for a few minutes. Neal exhaled loudly and grudgingly settled in beside him.</p>
<p>‘When I was a teenager’ Peter said as he pointed to the dozens and dozens of trees. ‘I worked at one of these lots near my parents’ place. I loved it. People are always so generous with tips at Christmastime and then there’s the music and the lights…’</p>
<p>Neal sighed, seemingly unimpressed.</p>
<p>‘Every year, my mom and dad would argue about the best kind of tree to get’ Peter said, a gleam in his eye as the memory formed. ‘Dad would always insist on a Douglas fir and my mom was partial to the scotch pine… the same damn argument every year.’</p>
<p>‘What about you?’ he asked Neal who’d grown even more sullen. ‘Do you have a favourite?’</p>
<p>Suddenly, it hit Peter that his question might be insensitive. He didn't know a whole lot about Neal’s life as a kid but he knew that his dad had been carted off to prison when he was nothing more than a toddler. He could well imagine that life in WitSec alone with his mom probably didn't afford them a whole lot in the way of luxuries.</p>
<p>‘Sorry… I guess that’s not exactly the kind of Christmases you remember, huh?’</p>
<p>Neal shook his head and looked away. ‘Yeah, well Christmas wasn't really a thing at our house when I was growing up.’</p>
<p>Peter’s youth had been idyllic. His parents had doted on him and his sister, making sure they had nothing but happy memories. Neal, on the other hand, had been living with a depressed alcoholic mother in a poor neighbourhood of St-Louis.</p>
<p>Neal lifted his gaze and glanced over at the trees nearby. He smiled sadly. ‘You know, I don’t remember ever having a Christmas tree when I was growing up. My mom was pretty far gone by the time I started school. My friends would talk about their big family gatherings, presents under their tree, turkey, midnight mass…’</p>
<p>He looked up at Peter, his gaze faraway. ‘I used to make up these stories about imaginary relatives just so my friends at school wouldn't make fun of me. I once told them my Uncle Clem was coming to visit from Hawaii and that we were having a Hawaiian Christmas with a palm tree and special drinks with little umbrellas. Another time, I made up this story that my mom and I were taking a trip to visit make believe relatives in California for the holidays. That was tricky, though, because I couldn’t leave the house for a week in case I ran into one of my friends out on the street.’</p>
<p>Neal gave him one of his phoney smiles and shrugged. ‘It wasn't all bad… I guess it helped me develop my imagination. Ellen would come over and bring me a little something but Mom… well, it was a miracle if she even got out of bed.’</p>
<p>Peter brought his hand to rest on Neal’s back. ‘I’m sorry Neal.’</p>
<p>Suddenly uncomfortable with the emotions that were bubbling to the surface, Neal got to his feet and pointed in the direction of the shop he wanted to visit.</p>
<p>‘I’m going to go… run that errand’ he said wistfully.</p>
<p>‘I think I’ll sit here and people watch for a while’ Peter replied.</p>
<p>He watched as Neal walked away, shoulders slumped at first and then, as if his Neal Caffrey persona had just kicked in, he noticed his posture changing, his head held up high, his shoulders broader, his chest puffed out. He fell into the rhythm of that annoying swagger of his. A young woman walked past him and Peter watched with interest as Neal tipped his hat to her and gave her a blistering smile.</p>
<p>He and El were hoping Neal would accept their invitation to come over for Christmas dinner. So far, Neal had been tentative, explaining that he wanted to take advantage of the few days off work to rest and catch up on some reading, maybe get together with Sara. After what Neal had just confided, was it any wonder he wanted to avoid the holidays?</p>
<p>Peter saw Neal step into the boutique and step back out a moment later.</p>
<p>‘Their debit and credit card machine is down’ he shouted in Peter’s direction as he pointed to the bank right next door.</p>
<p>Peter nodded in understanding and returned to watching the small but steady crowds venturing in and out of the various shops. Neal was right, he needed to learn to be more observant - at least as far as his wife was concerned. His observation skills never failed him when he was working on a case, how come it was so difficult when it related to the people he cared about.</p>
<p>Truth was, he envied Neal’s easygoing nature, his natural people skills. The man was genuinely interested in everyone he met whether the person was a janitor, a fellow ex-con or a head of state. That’s what made Neal Caffrey such an amazing conman: his gift of the gab and his ability to interact with everybody he met. Peter could use a little of that magic. His mind returned to the discussion they’d had in the car. He closed his eyes and imagined his wife, her smile, the way her hair cascaded down her shoulders, the sweet scent of her perfume. He let his mind wander, hoping for some inspiration.</p>
<p>WCWCWC</p>
<p>Neal strolled into the lobby of the bank and stood in line, waiting for the next available teller. There were two of them on duty and he hoped there wouldn't be too much of a wait. He glanced at the cash machine in the corner of the lobby and wondered if he should make his withdrawal there. The woman ahead of him seemed to notice him looking.</p>
<p>‘It’s out of order’ she commented as Neal nodded.</p>
<p>‘I guess it got overheated with all those withdrawals for Christmas shopping’ Neal quipped with a friendly smile.</p>
<p>The woman turned towards him, her hand resting on her huge belly and returned the smile. Neal knew, as everyone did, that there was a question you were never supposed to ask a woman but in this case, it was impossible to mistake her protruding stomach for anything but what it was: a bun in the oven.</p>
<p>‘When is your baby due… if you don't mind my asking.’</p>
<p>‘It’s <em>over</em>due’ she replied with a sigh. ‘This is our first so I guess that’s par for the course.’</p>
<p>‘Maybe a Christmas baby’ Neal offered with a warm smile.</p>
<p>She nodded. ‘That would be nice. To be honest, I can’t wait for it to be over.</p>
<p>Her phone rang, her ringtone bringing a smile to Neal’s lips - the voices of Diana Ross and the Supremes crooning about baby love. The woman glanced at the screen and sighed.</p>
<p>‘Hi honey!’ she said into her phone.</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes at Neal as she spoke. ‘No, nothing new since you called fifteen minutes ago.’</p>
<p>Neal chuckled. ‘I’m just at the bank and then I’m headed home.’</p>
<p>She hesitated for a moment, then turned away, whispering into the phone. ‘And honey, stop calling!’</p>
<p>She hung up and returned her gaze to the handsome stranger standing behind her. ‘My husband is a little bit of a worry-wart. He’s driving me nuts with these calls every few minutes.’</p>
<p>‘I’m sure he’s just worried about you’ Neal replied.</p>
<p>‘Do you have any children?’</p>
<p>‘No’ Neal said decisively.</p>
<p>‘Well, we’re really excited about —’</p>
<p>The woman was interrupted by a commotion behind the wickets where two bank employees appeared from the back offices with their hands high up in the air.Behind them, a trio of gun wielding masked men followed close behind as screams and gasps were heard resonating in the small space.</p>
<p>‘Everybody! Down on your knees!’ ordered one of the three bandits as he shoved the two bank employees down to the ground. The tellers were grabbed by a second man, suffering the same fate and joining their coworkers on the floor.</p>
<p>Neal fell to his knees while glancing surreptitiously around the room, doing a quick survey of his surroundings. There was the main door, leading outside to the front of the mall and ostensibly a back door from where these men had come in. He did a quick headcount: two tellers, two other bank staff and five customers including himself: an older couple, a teenage boy and the pregnant woman he’d been chatting with prior to the disturbance.</p>
<p>One of the masked men seemed to take charge. ‘I said everybody down!’ he repeated with authority.</p>
<p>Everyone complied but the pregnant woman who stood there next to Neal, staring ahead in shock.</p>
<p>A second gunman ran to the front door and locked it, returning as he waved his gun menacingly in the air.</p>
<p>The mom-to-be remained motionless with Neal kneeling beside her. She seemed to come to her senses and she attempted to crouch, struggling to get to her knees without much success. </p>
<p>The leader of the pack glanced in her direction. Without hesitation, he pointed his gun towards the ceiling and let off a shot, provoking gasps from everyone. </p>
<p>‘I said down lady!’ he shouted with anger.</p>
<p>Neal raised his arms in a sign of surrender and slowly made a move to stand, intent on helping the woman.</p>
<p>‘Can’t you see this woman is about to have a baby any day. At least let me give her a hand.’</p>
<p>The man who’d spoken stepped in closer and despite the fact his face was covered, Neal could see the whites of his eyes, staring him down menacingly. Mr. Loud Mouth.</p>
<p>‘Awwww, isn't that sweet’ the man crooned with mock sympathy. ‘Look at that, we’ve got ourselves a knight in shining armour here.’</p>
<p>The pregnant woman held onto her stomach and awkwardly fell to her knees as Neal reached for her arm to assist her. She fell rather awkwardly next to him in an inelegant pile.</p>
<p>‘Now, everybody shut the fuck up and we can get this done without anybody getting hurt’ the second masked man shouted. Silence fell and everybody watched in terror as the third man tucked his gun into the edge of his pants and produced a large pillow case.</p>
<p>‘Everybody! Phone and wallet in the bag!’ he shouted, his voice unsteady.</p>
<p>It was immediately apparent that of the three men, this guy was the most agitated. Neal couldn't help but notice his hands shaking as he held on to his gun with one hand, the large bag in the other, much like a kid on Halloween night, inviting everyone to divest themselves of their phones and wallets. The only thing worse than having a gun waved in your face, Neal reflected, was having a gun waved in your face by someone with a twitchy finger. </p>
<p>‘Frisk that one’ Mr. Loud Mouth instructed, pointing to Neal. ‘Make sure he doesn't have a gun.’</p>
<p>Both Mr. Loud Mouth and the third man stood guard, their guns trained on the hostages. Meanwhile, one by one, everyone threw their phones and wallets into the big empty bag carried by Twitchy Finger. When he got to Neal, he grabbed him by the arm, pulled him to his feet and proceeded to frisk him.</p>
<p>Neal took advantage of the distraction to let his eyes sweep the room. The bank employees were off to one end, looking reasonably calm and resigned to the fact they were being robbed. Sadly, this was probably not the first time the bank had been hit and nobody was inclined to play the hero. The older couple sat huddled together next to them, holding hands, terror in their eyes. The teenage boy had pulled his legs up tight against his chest, looking like he might be in shock. Once Twitchy Finger had finished frisking him, he pushed Neal to the ground where he settled once more next to the mom-to-be who sat there trembling, her hand mindlessly rubbing her large belly.</p>
<p>‘You!’ Mr. Loud Mouth shouted as he pointed his gun at one of the bank tellers. ‘You and I are going for a little walk.’</p>
<p>The teller, a woman in her thirties, got to her feet and Mr. Loud Mouth grabbed her roughly by the arm and led her to the back of the bank with his gun pointed at her while the two other intruders stood guard with the rest of the group.</p>
<p>Neal could feel the woman next to him, shaking violently as she whimpered.</p>
<p>‘It’s okay’ he murmured under his breath in an attempt to keep her calm.</p>
<p>Any sudden move could spook one of the gun wielding men, forcing their weapon to discharge unintentionally. The last thing they needed was for the young woman to go into labour in the middle of a bank heist.</p>
<p>‘What’s your name?’ Neal whispered to her as soon as he got the chance.</p>
<p>‘Amy’ she replied softly.</p>
<p>‘I’m Neal’ he said with a reassuring smile. ‘Try to stay calm Amy. Everything’s going to be fine.’</p>
<p>He helped her sit up, dragging both of them back a few inches so she could rest her back against the wall. There was grumbling and voices coming from the back of the bank where the thief was ostensibly emptying the safe.</p>
<p>They could hear Mr. Loud Mouth urging the employee to move faster. Everyone else sat motionless, in eerie silence.</p>
<p>Neal glanced at Amy, checking that she was all right.</p>
<p>And that’s when it happened.</p>
<p>To Neal’s dismay, she let out a loud moan and suddenly a large puddle formed at his feet right there on the perfectly polished floor.</p>
<p>WCWCWC</p>
<p>Peter felt a sudden chill and glanced at his watch. It had been almost fifteen minutes since Neal had disappeared into the bank and he still hadn’t come out. He decided to take a stroll over in that direction to see what was up. Distractions abounded on the short stroll and he glanced first at the window dressing of a flower shop before noticing a jewelry store next door.</p>
<p>Neal was right. A vacuum cleaner just wouldn't cut it as far as a gift for El. Deep down, even <em>he</em> knew that. Oh sure, El would thank him and give him a polite peck on the cheek, she’d comment on how he’d chosen just the right model for their needs. But, as in the past, there would be a tinge of disappointment in her voice and she would tease him good-naturedly about what she called his ‘practical’ side.</p>
<p>He stopped dead in his tracks and glanced at the offerings in the jewelry store window display: rings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches. He was the first to admit he didn't know a whole lot about that kind of stuff. Oh sure, he paid attention when it came to evaluating the pecuniary value of a piece… but that was work. Trying to find something that would put a nice big smile on El’s face was something else altogether.</p>
<p>Did El prefer those hanging earrings or those stud like ones? When it came to necklaces, did she like the longer pendants or something to frame her swan-like neck. He grumbled at the realization that he didn't really know; after fourteen years of marriage, you’d think a guy would have learned to pay better attention. He closed his eyes momentarily and tried to imagine her before him, wearing that pretty blue dress he liked. What kind of jewelry was she wearing? He opened his eyes again; perhaps she’d appreciate a nice new pair of earrings to replace the ones she’d lost on her trip. The question was, should he get a pair similar to the ones she lost or go with something completely different.</p>
<p>Although he hated to admit his shortcomings, there was no denying his lack of enlightenment in all things jewelry. He came to the conclusion that rather than fall flat on his face, he would stoop to grovelling and get Neal’s expert advice on the subject. With renewed determination, he continued on his way towards the bank. His hand had just reached out to open the door when he stopped suddenly at the sight of what was happening on the other side of the glass.</p>
<p>He pulled away before he could be spotted and moved a few feet away, grabbing for his phone.</p>
<p>WCWCWC</p>
<p>‘Faster!’ Mr. Loud Mouth shouted at the poor hapless bank employee as he dragged her around to each of the tills by the scruff of her neck.</p>
<p>From where he sat, Neal could see the poor woman’s hands shaking as she attempted to unlock one of the tills. More worrisome however was the fact that mother-to-be Amy was making more and more noise as she reacted to the fact that she was officially in the throes of labour. Neal had never seen someone’s water break but it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on. He leaned in and brought his arm around her.</p>
<p>‘Amy?’ he murmured. ‘You all right?’</p>
<p>She replied with a soft moan, doing her best to keep from losing it when there was a gun pointed at her and her round belly.</p>
<p>One of the gunmen, the calmer of the three, remained focussed and on task, his gun pointed in the direction of the innocent group huddled together. Twitchy Finger, on the other hand, had grown more fidgety, doing some sort of a jig as he stamped his feet nervously to some silent beat only he could hear. He continued to wave his gun around indiscriminately, a very unsettling sight to say the least.</p>
<p>‘Hurry up Benny!’ he shouted to Mr. Loud Mouth who was busy scooping up the loot and placing it in an old weathered leather bag.</p>
<p>‘No names, you idiot’ Benny shouted back from behind the counter.</p>
<p>Amy screamed in pain, her hand reaching for Neal’s arm as a solid contraction took hold of her.</p>
<p>‘Shut her up!’ Twitchy Finger yelled at Neal as if he had any control over what was happening. </p>
<p>Neal took a deep breath, the last thing he wanted was for things to further escalate and culminate in someone getting hurt. If everybody remained calm a little while longer, this would soon be over. In the meantime, he needed to do something to help this poor woman who had grabbed onto his arm and was pressing her pointy fingernails into the delicate skin of his forearm.</p>
<p>‘At least let me settle her on that chair over there?’ he argued, looking directly at the two gunmen.</p>
<p>‘Shut up!’ came the reply from an increasingly uptight Twitchy Finger.</p>
<p>Amy let out another loud groan as she began to writhe on the cold hard floor.</p>
<p>Neal couldn't take much more of watching her like this. He raised his hands up over his head and slowly began to get to his feet, intent on helping this poor woman in her hour of need.</p>
<p>‘Look, I just want to make her more comfortable’ he explained, hands remaining high above his head. ‘I don’t want to make any trouble.’</p>
<p>Mr. Loud Mouth was busy stuffing cash in the bag as fast as he could while the quieter of the three men continued to stand there, legs wide apart, gun pointed at all of them.</p>
<p>Twitchy Finger, on the other hand, was growing increasingly flustered. ‘Sit down!’ he shouted at the top of his lungs.</p>
<p>Neal heeded the warning, remaining motionless half standing, half crouching.</p>
<p>‘Look, I’m just going to take two steps’ he explained, pointing in the direction of a large leather chair nearby. ‘I’m just going to bring this chair a little closer for her to sit on.’</p>
<p>Twitchy Fingers drew closer, waving his gun erratically in Neal’s face. This guy was not interested in seeing reason. Neal was just about to drop back to his knees when the man lifted his arm and brought the barrel of his gun down with force along the side of Neal’s face.</p>
<p>Then, nothing.</p>
<p>WCWCWC</p>
<p>When Neal came to, Peter was staring down at him. He blinked, unsure where he was and why Peter had such a look of worry on his face. He could feel a throbbing sensation along the side of his face and felt as if his left eye had been glued shut.</p>
<p>‘Peter…’ he murmured.</p>
<p>Peter knelt beside him, softly dabbing at his face with a wet cloth. ‘Don’t move buddy. It’s okay’ came his familiar comforting voice.</p>
<p>Neal grimaced at the sensation of the wet cloth on his face. ‘What happened to Amy?’ he moaned.</p>
<p>‘She’s all right, they’ve just taken her to the hospital’ Peter replied reassuringly. ‘She’s fine.’</p>
<p>Now that his vision was growing a little clearer, Neal noticed two men in emergency uniforms hovering right behind Peter. He brought his hand to his head where a constant hammering was keeping him from focussing. He could smell the metallic scent of blood and felt the dampness on his face.</p>
<p>‘What —’</p>
<p>‘Let’s start by letting these guys take a look at you’ Peter said, rising to momentarily step aside.</p>
<p>Neal’s hand held his arm in a death grip and Peter disentangled himself from his partner’s grasp to make way for the EMTs.</p>
<p>‘What about the robbers?’ Neal managed to say.</p>
<p>‘We caught up with them a few blocks away’ Peter replied. ‘Just… just lie still and let the EMTs take a look at you.’</p>
<p>‘He’s going to have a nasty headache’ one of the paramedics said. ‘We need to take him in and have them run some tests. He probably has a concussion and he may need a couple of stitches.’</p>
<p>Peter nodded and crouched back down, his hand returning to Neal’s arm and stroking it gently.</p>
<p>‘She said to tell you thank you.’</p>
<p>Neal grimaced, not quite understanding.</p>
<p>‘Amy’ Peter explained. ‘She said to tell you thank you for looking out for her.’</p>
<p>A small smile appeared on Neal’s face and he winced in response to the seething pain.</p>
<p>‘So what’d you do?’ Peter continued with a glib smile. ‘Did you decide you wanted to add midwife to your pedigree?’</p>
<p>Neal attempted to sit up but Peter held him back. ‘Oh no, you don’t. You let these guys take care of you buddy.’</p>
<p>‘But…’</p>
<p>‘No buts Neal. You’re not calling the shots here’ Peter said in that authoritative tone of voice that drove the younger man crazy.</p>
<p>With that, Neal let himself relax. Peter was here now and everything was going to be all right.</p>
<p>WCWCWC</p>
<p>‘It looks pretty good’ Neal said as he admired the huge tree dominating the Burkes’ living room.</p>
<p>He was sporting a bandage on his forehead that was more annoying than anything else. The headaches had begun to recede somewhat although he still needed a regular dose of medication to keep the throbbing under control. The effect of the meds was similar to the feeling one gets after imbibing a second glass of a fine Merlot and Neal wasn’t complaining.</p>
<p>‘You made an excellent choice’ Peter said as he clasped Neal’s shoulder. ‘But I tried to warn you it was a little big for this room.’</p>
<p>Neal chuckled. ‘Well, you did tell me to pick any one I wanted’ he said, sounding like a five-year-old who’d somehow managed to get his way.</p>
<p>He looked around the festively decorated living room, so unlike anything he’d ever known as a child. There were gifts under the oversized tree, shining lights and ornaments, the sound of the fireplace crackling and the wonderful aromas of the meal they would soon be sharing. He sighed, thinking of all those Christmases when he’d had to make do with so little.</p>
<p>‘Come, sit down’ Elizabeth urged, taking him by the arm and leading him over to the couch where the rest of the group was gathered. ‘You don’t want to get overtired.’</p>
<p>‘I didn’t know I’d be spending Christmas this year with a bonafide hero’ Sara said as Neal leaned into her, gingerly placing his head on her shoulder.</p>
<p>‘Looks like our hero is starting to fade’ June said with a soft giggle.</p>
<p>Mozzie watched from nearby, a large glass of Pinot resting in his hand. ‘How many times have I told you, Neal. It doesn't pay to play the hero. You’re going to get yourself hurt one of these days.’</p>
<p>Everyone chuckled; it seemed that Mozzie’s warnings were about two days too late.</p>
<p>‘Oh I forgot to tell you’ Peter said, his voice growing excited. ‘I’d left my number with Amy and she texted me a picture of her and the baby.’</p>
<p>Neal struggled to sit up and looked down at Peter’s phone, Amy’s face smiling back at him and looking much more serene than the last time he’d seen her. In her arms was a perfect little baby girl, eyes wide open, tucked away in an oversized Christmas stocking. Neal smiled and returned to the warmth of Sara’s soft shoulder, slipping his arm under hers.</p>
<p>‘They called her Noëlle’ Peter added as everyone craned their neck to take a look.</p>
<p>There was a chorus of ‘awwws' as Neal felt his body start to relax, safe and warm among those who meant so much to him. He could feel himself start to nod off, a blissful sensation of wellbeing permeating his exhausted body from head to toe. From his cozy spot on the couch, he looked around the room at the twinkling lights, the Christmas ornaments, the fire in hearth, the gifts under the tree, the warm smiles.</p>
<p>Peter shared a knowing look with El as he glanced around at the motley crew, for all intents and purposes, their family. He brought his hand to rest on Neal’s arm, noticing he’d momentarily drifted off.</p>
<p>‘You’re home for Christmas buddy’ he murmured softly.</p>
<p>La fin</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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